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u FIRE ESCAPE LADDER. No. 276,715. Patented May 1,1883.

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FIRE ESCAPE- LADDER. No. 276,715. Patented May 1,1883.

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J. RILEY.

FIRE ESCAPE LADDER.

(No Model.)

Patented May 1,1883;

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U ITED STATES PATENT Gretna.

JAMES RILEY, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

FIRE-=ESCAPE LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,715, dated May 1, .1883. Application filed December 14, 1882. '(No model.)

ratus for th e movement and erection ofladders,

especially for use in case of'fires, and which is adapted for transportation in connection with hook-and-ladder trucks. Its objectis to facililate the handling and increase the efficiency and security of long ladders and their use as fire-escapes.

It consists in the combination, with the lower end of a ladder,which is provided with an auxiliary foot ladder and folding brace bars hinged thereto to facilitate its erection, of a detachable two-wheeled truck adapted to serve as a pivot upon which the ladder may be swung upward, as well as a carriage upon which it may be balanced and moved when erected, and whose axle andtwheels are suspended under the carriage upon arms which will permit the axle to be swung back in line with the frame of the carriage to facilitate its transportation upon a hook-and-ladder truck.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus in working order, with the ladder elevated thereby Fig. 2, a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan view, of the same when the ladder is lowered to a horizontal position and its lever folded down thereon Fig. 4, a detached view of one of the guy-ropes or stay-lines extending from the outer end of the lever to the upper end of the ladder, and of the bridle connecting the same to the ladder; Fig.5, an enlarged longitudinal section in line 00a: of Fig. 3, illustrating the manner of connecting the ladder to the carriage; Fig. 6, a rear elevation of the carriage with the ladder removed Fig. 7, a side elevation thereof in position to support the ladder; Fig. 8, a similar view illustrating the manner of swinging the wheels back from the carriage to facilitate its transportation on a truck; Fig. 9, a side view, and Fig. 10 a front view, of the lock-nut and arm for the wheels. Fig.11 repably, as illustrated in the drawings, of a short ladder or lever, G, constructed with two side bars connected transversely by rounds or crossbars) is hinged to said end plates to admit of being thrown out at right angles thereto, as shown in Fig. 1. The hinges are constructed to admitot' a detachment of the lever from the ladder, if desired. Oentrallyhinged braces D D are pivoted to the sides of the ladder and of the lever 0, so as to form diagonal stays, subtending the angle of the one withthe other when the leveris thrown out from theladder, as shown in Fig. 1. These braces admit of ready detachment from the ladder, if required. As a further support, single guy-ropes or staylines E F are extended from the outer end of the lever to the extreme top of the ladder and to a point lower down thereon. The connection of each of these single lines with the ladder is made by means of a bridle consisting of a cross-bar, G, of nearly the width of the ladder, from whose extremities short connecting cords or chains H Hare extended to the sides of the ladder, these cords being long enough to afford ample space between the bar and ladder for the free passage of a man up and down the ladder within the same. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) Their connection with the lever C is simply made by cords or chains K, diverging from an eye at the lower end of the stay-line to double eyebolts L L on the outer end of the lever. A loose line, M, is also connected to these eyebolts, to be used in hauling upon the lever in first starting the erection of the ladder.

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate the pivotal carriage, by means whereoftheupliftingot'theladderand 'its removal from point to point when erected is facilitated. This carriage is constructed of a frame, N N, of a width somewhat greater than that of the ladder, and of a length suffi' cient to embrace three or more .of its rounds;

An axle, O, carrying two wheels, P P, is suspended under the frame N N, upon two arms, Q Q, Fig. 6, dependent from a transverse pivot-bar, R, turning freely in suitable bearings upon the under side of the frame at the center of its length. The arms Q Q are of such length as to permit of their being swung up with the axle clear of the ends of the frame and into line therewith, in which position they are secured for transportation by means of a transverse pin, S, which is led through eyes a a in the supporting-arms Q, Q, and through apertures V V, formed to register therewith in the end of the frame. (See Fig. 8.) When the axle and wheels are dropped into position immediately beneath the pivot bar R, at a right angle with the frame N, they are fixed by passing the pin S (see Figs. 6 and 11) through the eyes a a in the supporting-arms Q Q, and through apertures b 1), formed to register therewith at the intersection of bracketarms T T, converging to said point from the two ends of the frame, on each side thereof, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. The wheels are each confined upon the end of the axle by means of a nut, U, fitted with an arm or handle projectingtherefrom, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, and may be locked immovably upon the axle by screwing up said nuts tightly, the hubs being made,for this purpose, longenough to projectover the threaded portion of the axle, so that the hub shall be bound when the nut is set up hard against it. The carriageframeN is fitted upon its upper end with a series of hooks, W W, adapted to engage and clasp the rounds of the ladder, and when the rounds have been slipped in under these books they are made fast by means of locking-pins Y Y, (see Fig. 5,) so as to couple and secure the ladder firmly in place upon the carriage.

In the transportation of a long fireladder the carriage may be detached therefrom and the ladder placed upon the truck in the usual manner. The carriageN may then he slipped upon the projecting end of the ladder at the rear of the truck, its wheels P P being insuch case uncoupled from the brackets T T by a withdrawal of the coupling-pin S, and then swung up in line with the rear end of the frame, and coupled thereto by ,inserting the pin S through the aperturesVV, as described. By the combination of the lever-ladder and the pivotal carriage with a long ladder in manner as described, the longest ladder can be elevated more rapidly and with less efiort or help than is now required in handling a ladder of ordinary length, while the ease and safety with which the ladder may, when elevated, be shifted from one point to another places the apparatus far in advance of any now in use for such purpose.

In the use of the apparatus the ladder to be erected is secured to the carriage by slipping its lower rounds under the hooks W W upon the top of the carriage-frame, in manner as shown in Fig. 5, and fastening it by means of the transverse pins Y. The carriage, being then rolled, with the ladder, into proper position, is made fast, either by locking the wheels with the axle-nuts U or otherwise checking them. Theladder is now elevated by throwing up the lever C and hauling upon the loose line M, Fig. 1. The lever 0, when thrown up, becomes automatically braced and secured by the hinged side braces, D, and the upper end and center of the ladder are relieved from strain and supported by the stay-lines E and F. Theladder, when thus elevated and stiffened and stayed by the lever G and stay-lines E F, may be easily wheeled upon the carriage N into any desired position, and may also be used as a flying ladder, the upper end being fully supported by the lines E and F.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with aladder, A, and a carriage, N, of an axle, O, and wheels P, swinging suspension-arms Q, fixed brackets T T, and a device for securing the arms to the brackets, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with a ladder, A, and a carriage, N, to support the same, of hooks W W, constructed and secured upon the frame of the carriage toengage the rounds of the ladder, and pins Y, adapted to lock the hooks, all substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

JAMES RILEY.

Witnesses:

P. ELBERT N os'raAND,

J. F, ACKER, Jr. 

